August 20, 2010
Alzheimer’s & Dementia
January 11, 2010
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Small Signs of Memory Loss Can Lead to Big Problems
If you are over 65 and feel like you might have an issue with your memory it is more important than ever to have an open dialogue with your doctor.
A new study published in the January 11, 2010 issue of the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia, finds that symptoms of cognitive decline can be experienced some 20 years before an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. According to the long term study led by Dr. Barry Reisberg director of The Fisher Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Resources Program at NYU Langone Medical Center, healthy older adults with subjective memory loss are 4.5 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
The study tracked 213 adults over an average of 7 years with data collection taking nearly two decades. According to the authors, physicians and scientists can now target the prevention of eventual Alzheimer’s disease in the subjective cognitive impairment stage.
“This is the first study to use mild cognitive impairment and dementia as an outcome criterion showing that subjective cognitive impairment may for some be a forerunner of eventual Alzheimer’s disease,” said Barry Reisberg, MD.
Dr. Reisberg’s research over the past quarter century has significantly advanced the current understanding and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. He was the first to describe many of the most important symptoms of Alzheimer’s and the characteristic clinical course of the disease and authored the “Clinical Stages of Alzheimer’s.”
“Memory problems should be treated just like any other health issue. If you feel you are having problems with your memory, it is wise to schedule a memory checkup with your doctor,” says Kent Karosen, President & CEO of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation.
Primary funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health. Additional funding was provided by the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation and Mr. Leonard Litwin.
About NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation’s premier centers of excellence in healthcare, biomedical research, and medical education. For over 168 years, NYU physicians and researchers have made countless contributions to the practice and science of health care. Today the Medical Center consists of NYU School of Medicine, including the Smilow Research Center, the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences; the three hospitals of NYU Hospitals Center, Tisch Hospital, a 705-bed acute-care general hospital, Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the first and largest facility of its kind, and NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, a leader in musculoskeletal care; and such major programs as the NYU Cancer Institute, the NYU Child Study Center, and the Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
About the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation is a leading source of funding for Alzheimer’s research. It serves Alzheimer’s patients and their families by seeking to understand the causes of, discover a cure for, and improve the lives of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The foundation primarily funds Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard, Dr. Barry Reisberg, and Alzheimer’s information programs such as Preserving Your Memory magazine and www.ALZinfo.org.
